Hobbitenango is an unabashed tourist trap, but it’s so cute and self-aware that I can’t be mad at it. Plus we visited on a weekday during the rainy season, so I’m sure we saw a calmer version of it than anyone who goes on a weekend during peak travel season.
We bought our tickets for entry and transportation online a few days in advance and then walked to the office in Antigua on a Thursday to catch the shuttle. If you book a ride online, you’ll need to select the times you want to leave Antigua and Hobbitenango. We departed Antigua at noon and didn’t want to feel rushed, so we chose the 5 pm Hobbitenango departure instead of the 3 pm. There were 2 other couples and a single lady waiting at the office with us, and we were all a little surprised when our ride arrived. It was a pickup truck with bench seats and a roll cage welded into the bed. I think they were going for something like the image on the right.… Either way, it set the silly tone for the day.
Our carriage climbed the steep hills outside of Antigua for about 30 minutes before we arrived at Hobbitenango. (Tenango is a suffix that means “place of” in Nahuatl and is used in many names.) We were high up in the hills with lovely views, and Hobbitenango provided ample photo opportunities.
We ate lunch at the restaurant first, and then we wandered around the manicured paths, snapped a bunch of photos, and found the archery nook in the alley of shops and snack vendors. There was a short line, so we waited for our turn to be coached on how to load and shoot an arrow (included in the cost of admission). I needed a lot of extra help from the archer, but I hit the bullseye on my first shot! We also threw axes, but neither of us were very impressive. I waited in line to jump off the cliff but chickened out after they loaded me into the harness. Then we played the remaining games (except for mini-golf) and ran out of things to do by 2:30.
We asked at the front desk if we could take the 3 pm shuttle back instead of the 5 pm, but they said it was fully booked. I’m sure we could have tried to get a cab or find another way down the mountain, but we brought books in case that happened. We spent the rest of the afternoon reading and lounging around on the grass and in various hobbit huts. It was a beautiful day and a picturesque place to kill time, but we’d recommend a 3-hour visit to anyone planning a trip.
